Rams prepare for Providence Grove’s high-powered option attack

Reidsville has scored 50 or more points in six of its 10 wins this season. The only other Mid-State 2-A Conference team that has hit the half-century mark will visit Community Stadium Friday night for a game with huge playoff implications.
Providence Grove, a second-year school that was a spin-off of Eastern Randolph, is coming off a 55-14 victory over Graham last week to improve to 8-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference. The Patriots also hit the jackpot earlier this season in a 56-0 romp over East Montgomery and are averaging 34 points per game.
That’s an impressive number, but it pales in comparison to Reidsville’s 48.9 average, one of the top marks in the state.
The Rams are winners of 10 straight this season and 42 straight since a state semifinal playoff loss to Burlington Cummings in December of 2006. They are the top-ranked 2-A team in the state. But none of that will mean very much if they stumble to Providence Grove Friday night.
Reidsville has already clinched a tie for the conference title but a loss to the Patriots and a Jordan Matthews (8-2, 4-1) victory over Eastern Randolph Friday would produce a three-way tie for the top, necessitating a draw. A Providence Grove win and a Jordan Matthews loss would give the Patriots to league’s top seed going into the post-season.
“This is what it’s all about,” RHS coach Doug Robertson said. “I don’t think our kids need a lot of motivation this week. They are well aware of how important this game is – not only for conference purposes but for playing meaning also. If we win, we’re no worse than a three (seed) but if we lose, that could drop us way down.”
If Reidsville avoids the upset, there’s definitely going to be a draw Saturday when the NCHSAA sets the pairings for the 32-team 2-AA bracket. All the conference champs with undefeated records will have a shot at top seed in the two regionals. Reidsville is projected to be in the 2-AA East Regional where Southwest Edgecombe and East Duplin also figure to arrive at the pairings party with undefeated marks. That would mean Reidsville could end up with a first, second or third seed.
But first things first and that’s Providence Grove. The Patriots, a huge surprise as first-year school with a 5-7 record in 2008, have been impressive all season. They lost to 9-1 Northwood in mid-September by 19-14 and then stumbled on the road at Jordan Matthews on Oct. 16 by 32-17. Those were the only two games in which they have scored fewer than 21 points.
Robertson and staff are preparing the RHS defense for a high-powered option attack.
“They do a good job of what they do on offense,” he said. “The quarterback does a real good job of reading the option. He’s a very intelligent quarterback and he’s got a lot of athletes around him that can make plays. He knows how to get it to those guys.”
The quarterback is Richard Shuping, son of coach Todd Shuping.
In last week’s romp over Graham, Shuping scored on a 27-yard run and hit Ryan Powell for a 17-yard TD pass. Shuping was the team’s leading rusher (141 yards on 18 carries) in a 32-7 victory over Burlington Cummings two weeks ago.
Zeb Milliner, who scored on a 99-yard interception return and a 78-yard punt return against Graham, is the Patriots’ explosive threat. He also scored on a 15-yard run and helped Providence Grove pile up 352 yards rushing.
Blayne Dixon is another key man in the rushing attack and has several 100-yard rushing games this season. He had the go-ahead touchdown in the Patriots’ thrilling 35-34 victory over Eastern Randolph on Sept. 25.
Robertson said the Rams will focus on the option but must be aware of the pass.
“What they do is surprise with a pass every now and then and hit a big one,” Robertson said. “We have to be real conscious in what they do in their play-action game off the option. Obviously, a lot of our focus this week is going to be stopping the option itself.”
On the other side of the ball, Providence has a tall order in slowing down Reidsville’s offense that has averaged 390 yards per game with a mix of passing (156 yards per game) and rushing (234 yards).
And it doesn’t seem to matter who is running the RHS shotgun attack.
Junior Lavert Butchee, stepping up with senior Tyrell Houghton nursing a high-ankle sprain, passed for 283 yards last week at Eastern Randolph. A couple of weeks earlier, Houghton rung up 260 yards passing at Burlington Cummings.
For the year, Houghton is 53 of 94 for 904 yards and 15 TDs and just one interception while Butchee is 24 of 41 for 541 yards and five TDs and three interceptions.
Houghton, who could have played last week in an emergency situation, is penciled in as the starter.
“I feel like he’ll be ready to go Friday,” Robertson said. “If he’s able to do everything that we want him to do on offense, he will start. If we think he’s going to limit us, we may still go with Lavert.”
Evaluations of Houghton’s mobility will continue throughout the week.
Kenzel Doe and Lyshod Graves are the Rams’ wide receivers that give opposing coaches headaches. Doe has 34 receptions for 576 yards and nine touchdowns while Graves has 16 catches for 380 yards and six touchdowns.
Denzell Blackwell (11 catches, 230 yards) and Mike Allen (five catches, 102 yards) are the other receiving threats.
Graves is also a big-time threat on kick returns. He has only nine kickoff returns this season and three have gone for TDs and two others were called back because of penalties. He has seven punt returns, two going the distance.
Senior halfback E.J. Foster has 774 yards and 17 touchdowns on 98 attempts (7.9 per carry) to lead the running game. 
The RHS offensive line of center Jamie Jackson, guards Gabriel Hildebrand and Josh Wagner and tackles Danye Gorrell and Bryron Johnson pave the way.
On defense, the Rams will go with the same unit that held Eastern Randolph to a net of one yard rushing last week. That includes JV call-up Marcus Paschal for his second start on the inside beside Mike Lee. Ryan Broadnax and Johnson are the defensive ends.
Leading tacklers Steve Williams (96 tackles) and Dashawn Crews (61) are the inside linebackers with Christian Williams, Willam Welch and Foster all seeing action on the outside.
Butchee, Doe, Graves and Blackwell will play in the secondary.
The Rams are allowing just 7.9 points and 145.9 yards per game.
Friday’s game is the final regular season home game, thus it’s senior night for the players, marching band and cheerleaders. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.